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Speaking on Wednesday in Brussels, Copa President Gerd Sonnleitner said "The Commission has come up with an ambitious plan for reforming the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which will make farmers do a lot more for less money and which could have a huge impact on their production decisions and financial situation.  Yet EU Agriculture Ministers and the European Parliament will not be able to decide on which measures to introduce  until they know what money and budget they will have available to them to fund the future CAP."

"Farmers need to make investment and production decisions well in advance" he continued.  "But with little more than one year before a new CAP will be put in place, no-one can tell farmers what the impact for them will be. We therefore call upon Heads of State and government to take a positive decision on the future EU budget as soon as possible" he said.

President of Cogeca, Christian Pees, added "Farmers and their cooperatives are already confronted with a high level of risk vis a vis prices and and uncertainty because of increasingly volatile world markets for agricultural commodities, without politicians adding to it. A rapid decision is consequently vital".

Copa-Cogeca calls for CAP spending to be at least maintained at current levels until 2020. This has also been called for by Member States and MEPs.

"The EU agricultural sector and the 28 million people who work on farms can make a huge contribution to economic stability and prosperity.  But they need a strong CAP to make the most of this potential and to meet growing world food demand", Mr Pees concluded.

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